Retro Essentials: Hair Tool Kit (Plus faux victory rolls)

A lot of people really seemed to appreciate the 4 Quick and Easy hair styles post I did a while back, so I thought I should share another style with y’all and have a bit of a talk about what kind of equipment you need for a basic hair kit.

Let’s start with the tools, because the photo that shows the hairstyle the best is below.

In the shower: Shampoo and conditioner. If you have any specific problems with your hair, you might want to add in a hair treatment or hair mask that works at targeting that specific issue. As we’ve discussed before, don’t overdo it with washing your hair as that might do some serious damage to your scalp.
I personally use pretty basic shampoos and conditioners from Tresemme.

Brushes and combs: The longer your hair is, the more important it is to have a small set of brushes and combs that get the job done. There’s three kinds that I find myself reaching for every now and then.

Firstly, a style comb that can be used for sectioning and that I typically bring out when I’m trying (and failing) to do something fancy. They’re also really good for sectioning hair when rolling it. You can pick them up form almost anywhere, including Priceline.

The second you might look into getting is a simple ball point brush with a lot of empty space. This is my day to day go to brush for when I’m wearing my hair down or in a simple style. You want it to be dense enough to be able to deal with your everyday hair and sparse enough to be able to carefully brush out set curls. This is similar to the one I use.

The third one is a bristle brush that’s designed to smooth your hair. This is the type of brush I’m talking about but an absolute luxury version, my own is nowhere near that fancy. It’s great for eliminating static, redistributing oils, and simply create a finished look.

For curling:

Foam curlers and a setting spray, that is really all you need. If you have short to medium length hair, I’d consider learning how to pin curl for which you’ll just need a lot of bobby pins instead of foam curlers. Don’t know what foam curlers/rollers are or how to use them? There’s a basic description of both what they are and how they’re used. You’ll find them in well supplied hair care sections or even at hair stylists if you look around a bit.

When it comes to a setting spray, it’s not really easy to find actual setting lotions these days. A good option is to use a spray designed to be used for blowdrying and creating curls that way. Just spray it on as you roll up the foam curlers, go to sleep and then remove the curlers before gently brushing your hair in the morning. It’s easy, cheap, and gentle on you hair compared to any other method.

Things you’ll need: bobby pins, about 9000 of them. Hair elastics that are gentle on your hair (ideally no metal clip). A regular hair spray with a medium to strong hold. Hair flowers (I really like these from YOSPS as doubles or singles). The occasional head scarf.

To create the sort of faux victory rolls you can see in the photo above, you’ll need a comb, some bobby pins, some hair spray, and a hair elastic.

I love victory rolls, but it will take me ages to actually create them. So when I don’t want to do that but still want to add a vintage shape to my hair, I fake it.

Part your hair above one of your eyebrows. Take the equivalent of your fringe (or just a small-medium section of your hair, the part you’d usually try to create a victory roll from), twist the upper part of it, push it forward to create a bump, and secure with bobby pins. Do the same thing to the other side. Bring all the loose hair together into a braid, high pony tail, or just leave it down depending on your preference. Spray your hair lightly to improve the hold and smooth out the worst stray hairs.
Time: 5-10 minutes, less as you practice.

Accessories? You can easily add hair flowers or a scarf to cover the bobby pins if you want.